May 19, 2007

The plans call for a new Giant Food store, a 180-room hotel, 300 condos, 300 apts, including senior affordable housing, 7,500 SF of locally owned retail, a reopened 8th St. and 700 parking spots, which will be offerred to neighboring churchs on Sunday. Can you believe?

Roadside recently has been before the review board of the D.C. Historic Preservation Office and is still working to get approal. It also will apply for at least $40 million in tax increment financing from the city.

Given the politics, preservation and other issues, it will be a miracle of this finally moves forward. With all the balls Roadside is juggling on this one, DC Bubble hopes the end-product is good enough to full the vow made by the developer. Armond Spikell, a Roadside Development principal, promised "This will be an economic engine for the entire corridor." We shall see.